Event Horizon
by The Sneaky Fox
Summary: On the cusp of the embarking on their suicide mission, Tali and Shepard finally decide to share the one last happy experience left to them before plunging into battle. Rated M for explicit content.


AN: Hey all. This has been sitting around for quite some time, and I wasn't quite sure what to do with it, since I originally intended for it to be part of a larger story. However, given my stories already in the works and a busy schedule, I likely won't be able to crank out another 40 chapters of a separate story without the wait time being 2 years.

At any rate, I've decided to post this as a one-shot. It is quite explicit, something I need to stress for those uncomfortable with this sort of thing. I debated dialing it back a bit, but ultimately decided against it. Since this is such a pivotal part of Tali's life and relationship with Shepard, I thought it would be wrong of me to filter it for the sake of propriety. It's an important event for many different reasons, maybe even the most important event in their relationship, so it will be kept intact in all its smutty glory. I again warn anyone away if they find such things uncomfortable.

I realise that I've already got a similar story like this posted, A Promise, but this is far more in-depth and meaningful, and so consider this the unabridged version, if you will.

And lastly, I got a bit bogged down by all the drama of Absence, so here's 10k words of fluff. Hope you guys enjoy reading, since I sure as hell enjoyed writing it.

* * *

**Event Horizon **

It was a very long elevator ride up.

Goosebumps ran across her skin, though she felt hot. A faint, constant shiver rocked her body in place, and Tali was having a difficult time not pulling her fingers out of their sockets.

Tonight was the night. In a few minutes, she'd walk into Shepard's cabin and finally bear herself to him. The fear accompanying that thought almost drove her to her knees. What if she was ugly? What if he couldn't stand the sight of her, but was too good a man to say so?

She wasn't even sure what would happen if he _did _find her beautiful and they _did _make love—would she react oddly to the sensations of pleasure and disturb or frighten him with it? Tali didn't know if she could keep herself in check, didn't even know _how _she would be able to. The mere idea of being intimate with Shepard made her womb ache and her knees weak. What would happen when such thoughts became a reality?

The breath shuddered out of her and she hugged herself, leaning against the wall. She had to calm down. Shep—John, she corrected herself, was a good man. She knew he'd be patient and careful with her.

_But what if he's too patient? Too careful? What if he doesn't enjoy himself because he's so busy making sure you're okay? _

She shrunk away from those thoughts; they would do her little good. She just had to make sure she focused on his pleasure as well and not lose herself in her own.

_Those _thoughts made her heart quicken further. Broken, disjointed images of Shepard in the height of arousal flashed through her mind, making Tali bite her lip. Anticipation flooded her, pushing out some of her fear, and she focused on that instead. Of being able to bring the man to his knees.

As if sensing her conflicted impatience, the lift came to a stop and the doors opened, revealing a small metal antechamber before Shepard's quarters. Terror and excitement battled for domination in her chest as she slowly stepped out of the elevator. Checking for the fourth time that she'd taken all the supplements and immuno-boosters Mordin had given her, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _It'll be okay. Better than okay. Wonderful. Just relax._

Taking the few steps across the floor, Tali raised her knuckles and gently tapped them against Shepard's door, noting dimly that her hand was still shaking.

"Come in," was the soft answer, and her heart clenched. She quickly opened the door before she could submit to cowardice and bolt, and entered his cabin.

The lights were dim; the only thing illuminating his room was the fish tank, its quiet blue glow strangely comforting. Her eyes were drawn to the bed that controlled the floor space of the "living" portion of his quarters. Shepard sat at the foot of the mattress, data pad in hand.

Her breath caught at the sight of him, her fear beginning to drain away. He wore a simple t-shirt, conspicuously devoid of any Cerberus logos, and a pair of plain crewmen pants. His spartan outfit ended in slim military boots, laces neatly tied at the top.

He looked up, and a small smile formed on his lips when he realised that she was the one visiting him. "Hey Tali," he said quietly, blue eyes warm.

His calm response untied her tongue. "I've taken a-all the precautions and talked to Mordin. He—he gave me some immuno boosters and herbal supplements to help keep my reaction under control, when... when we—" She fidgeted, breaking off and staring at the floor. "I... I didn't know if I should have brought music, or wine or... so I just—"

"Tali," he interrupted, and she gladly shut up. Shepard rose from the bed, broad form blocking out some of the light from the fish tank as he walked towards her. "It's alright." He offered her his hand, smiling down at her, and she took it, her small three-fingered hand engulfed by his much larger one. Shepard pulled her closer, his other hand resting gently on her arm. "Relax. We don't have to jump into bed straight away."

Her face heated, more images of her body wrapping tightly around his in a tangle of flesh flooding her mind. "I wasn't... I didn't mean that we should or, or—" She huffed, stopping herself. "I'm sorry. I talk when I'm nervous and I know I shouldn't be anxious but—"

"I'd be worried if you _weren't_ nervous," he interjected, and she looked up at him. "I know how difficult this will be for you. Just take your time and tell me when you're comfortable." He smiled again, touching the side of her mask. "It's alright to be afraid."

She blew out another breath, nodding. "Okay. Okay," she repeated, and stepped closer, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Thank you."

He laughed. "The service hasn't even begun yet, ma'am," Shepard replied amusedly, his own arms rising to hold her close. "Little early to be handing out thank yous."

She burst out laughing, shaking in his arms. Tali noted that her voice sounded more hysterical than she would have liked, but his comment had done wonders for her nerves; the humour had eased some of the tension from her body and stripped away more fear. She leaned into him, sighing at the feel of his hard frame and grinning to herself._ If nothing else, you'll get an amazing view of his body._

She felt his arms tighten around her and his chin rest gently on her hood. His chest faintly rumbled with soft laughter as he held her close, pleased that she was beginning to relax.

Mustering what courage she had, she pulled away from his warm embrace, stepping back. Meeting his eyes, she swallowed, doing her best to still the shudder running through her. "I'm... I'm ready."

Shepard smiled, his eyes never leaving hers. "All right," he said calmly. "What first?"

She took a deep breath. His confident tone gave her the strength to raise her hands up to the sides of her mask, fingers shakily finding the releases. She pressed down on the buttons, hearing a soft hiss escape from her suit.

Her heart beat raggedly in her chest when she began slowly pulling the mask away, though she never broke eye contact with Shepard. She watched his face as her sight adjusted to the absence of purple tint to her vision, her eyes soaking in the new light in the room.

Letting the hand holding the mask drop away and fall to her side, she studied Shepard's expression as he drank in the sight of her. His eyes had widened faintly at the first view of her face, but she saw with intense relief that disgust never crossed his features. Yet his next words were what snapped her out of her static pose.

"You're... you're beautiful, Tali." he whispered, lips tugging up faintly. His hand rose up to touch her, but he dropped it after a moment, as if she were too fragile to brush his fingers against. Instead, he simply grinned at her, his gaze holding a touch of awe as he looked at her face, and a male appreciation that filled her with joy.

She lunged at him, lithe form tackling him to the bed. She heard a surprised "oof!" escape him as they landed clumsily on the mattress, his arms instinctively grabbing ahold of her. She dipped her head, mouth colliding rather ungracefully with his. Tali felt his lips part and mould to hers when he caught on, and she melted into him.

The sensation of his lips pressing against her own sent her into a frenzy, and she grabbed at his head, mouth moving frantically over his. She was clumsy and inexperienced, but Shepard didn't seem to care. He returned her bold ministrations with fervour, hands resting on her waist.

He tasted wonderful. Toothpaste and sterile water and male all intermingled on her lips. Wanting more, she quickly darted her tongue out and touched his bottom lip, requesting entrance. Shepard surprised her by meeting her own tongue with his, wet muscles twining as they entered the other one's mouth. She heard a faint moan escaped him, echoing in his throat, and she shivered, pressing her body as close to his as she could.

When oxygen became mandatory, she reluctantly pulled away, breathing unevenly. She looked down at Shepard, watching him gasp in breath with a dazed expression. When she met his gaze, her nerves flared and her eyes widened, boldness fading into anxiety once more.

"I'm... I'm sorry, I didn't—"

He brushed his fingertips across her lips, silencing her. She leaned into his touch, sighing at the feel of skin on skin. "Don't apologise for _that," _he said, grinning. "Jesus woman, if I'd known you'd react like that, I'd have dragged you up to this cabin and pulled your mask off a lot sooner."

She smiled shyly, face heating up. "I..." She struggled to find words to describe what she had just felt, and gave up after an impatient moment."More,"she finally whispered instead.

Shepard's eyes turned more heated at her words and he sat up, shifting her into his lap. She straddled his hips, and resisted the urge to moan when she felt a growing hardness in his pants. Curiosity eventually overcame shyness however, and she pressed down into his groin, feeling him fit snugly between her legs. She shifted her hips, feeling him beneath his pants, and he dropped his head to her shoulder, groaning. His arms tightened around her and he pulled her body close, craving the warm feel of her. The sound that came from his throat sent a jolt through her, and she rubbed herself against him once more, wanting to hear him make that noise again.

He didn't disappoint. He gasped into the gold choker around her throat, a low moan escaping him from the friction. Tali rocked her hips forward, again and again, driven by the reaction she was getting from him and the aching sensation of his erection brushing against her core.

His breathing became laboured from her movements, air sighing out of parted lips. He returned a few strokes with his own hips before setting his hands on her waist to still her. He pulled away from her neck, looking at her. "As much... as I'm enjoying this," he said breathlessly. "I won't be of much use to you... if you keep that up."

She looked at him in confusion for a moment before her face reddened when she realised what he was talking about. She swallowed, nodding. "Sorry," she said again, and he shook his head.

"Stop apologising, Tali." he said firmly, touching her cheek. "I'm about as far away from miserable as I can get." He smiled at her again, fingers reaching up to brush at the hood covering her head. "Would you like to take the rest of this off?"

She nodded, undoing the clasps at her collarbone and pulling away at the purple cloth. Pushing the soft material off of the metal workings of the mask covering her head, she began unclamping hoses and pressing down buttons. Shepard would occasionally help her with the removal, but the foreign tech confused him and he could only offer the most basic assistance, afraid of accidentally pushing something he shouldn't.

When she tossed the metal helmet away and combed her hair quickly to untangle it, Shepard spoke up. "You have hair?" he asked, surprised, smoothing a hand over the shiny strands. His fingers ran through the dark curls and brushed against her scalp, making her lean into his hand, smiling.

"Quarians can't cut it regularly with the suit in the way, so it's tied back in one of those hoses." She pointed to the metal pieces of her mask on the floor. She looked back at him, worried. "Do you... You like it?"

He nodded, eyes focused on her face, her hair, her skin. "Yeah," he breathed after a moment. "I pictured you a thousand different ways, but... they all seem pretty shitty in comparison when I'm actually looking at you. Jesus," he whispered, calloused hands ever so gently brushing against her skin.

She ducked her head to kiss him again, his words making her eyes water and her chest fill with joy. _He thinks you're beautiful._

Shepard stood up, wrapping his arms around her and deepening the kiss. She tasted unique and exotic and unlike any other woman he'd been with. Although her movements were ungraceful and quick, the hunger and passion behind it removed any awkwardness, and he began losing himself in the taste of her mouth and the desperate movement of her tongue against his.

He walked her towards the wall, pressing her soft form up against the fish tank. She moaned into his lips, her fingers digging into his scalp and pulling him dangerously close to her. He smoothed his hands down her waist and reached her rear, gently squeezing and groaning at the shapely flesh moulding beneath his palms. The woman was so _soft._

He pulled her against him, pressing his lips hard into her mouth and tangling her tongue with his own. He was becoming dangerously aroused, and he could feel his movements become more firm, pushing Tali into unmapped territories. He didn't want to hurt or rush her, but his mind had begun turning off, driving him more by instinct and hunger than rational thought.

He pressed his hips into hers, feeling her soft curves give to accommodate the hard intrusion, and she gasped, breaking off the kiss and looking at him in surprise.

"Sorry," he said heavily, resting his head on the glass next to her face. "Sorry, I... I stopped thinking—"

She touched his cheek, making him look at her. She smiled, full lips swollen from his ministrations. "I thought you said no apologising?"

He laughed breathlessly, leaning his forehead against hers. "I did. I just don't want to hurt you."

"I'm tougher than I look." she said dryly, tone surprisingly confident. Tali pulled away from him and he stepped back to give her room, but she never broke contact. Her fingers played with the hem of his shirt before tugging on it. He laughed again, lifting up his arms and letting her pull the material off of him. She tossed the shirt aside, eyes travelling across his nude upper body with extreme interest. He hoped the interest wasn't directed at the plethora of scars etched into his skin and instead viewing him in a more pleasant light.

Her eyes suddenly lost their bold shine and she looked shy again, cheeks heating. She met his eyes, and her blush deepened. "Can... um, can I..." She reached out a hand hesitantly towards him, then stopped and looked back at him.

He chuckled. "You can touch me, Tali. This won't work very well if you don't."

She nodded at his words, flush never leaving her face. She quickly pulled off her gloves and let them drop at her feet. Stepping closer to him, she extended a hand once more, finger lightly brushing against his chest. She pressed her palm flat to his skin, feeling the strong thud of his heart. She noted with pride that it was beating rather quickly. Seemed he really was enjoying himself.

She traced her fingers along the lines of his body, occasionally brushing a scar. Shepard simply stood there, watching her features as she slowly explored his skin, eyes affixed on his exposed flesh with rapt attention.

He was a fine specimen of the human race. Or of any race, really. Smooth, corded muscle wrapped gracefully around a broad frame, warm skin only marred by the white of scar tissue. She smiled at the sight of his well-defined torso, fingers tracing around a nipple and slowly descending to the uniform bumps that lined his abdomen.

She felt his belly contract when she tickled the small divot of his navel, and looked up at him to see his eyes slightly glazed over, heat burning in his blue gaze. Her breath caught at the sight of the growing passion building in his eyes, and she smoothed both hands over his chest and up to his shoulders, revelling in the wonderful friction beneath her fingertips.

Tali took another step towards him, eyes locked with his own. "Can you help me with my suit?" she asked.

She saw something flare in his eyes, but she could see him trying to reign in his own desires, trying not to rush her. A small part of her wanted to push him to the edge, watch him lose control and claw at her body with the same frenzied passion she felt growing in her own chest.

She snapped out of her thoughts and realised that Shepard had nodded at her request and had stepped closer to her, eyes silently asking her what he should do. She reached up and unclasped the golden choker at her neck, pulling it away and gently setting it on the floor, not wanting to dent it. Tali saw his gaze drift down to her exposed neck a moment before he dipped his head, pressing his lips to her throat and pulling her close.

She whimpered, holding tightly onto him as she felt his mouth make a wet trail across her skin. It was sensory overload; never had she felt such an intimate touch on her bared skin, or smelled the scent of arousal and Shepard through an unfiltered nose, and it was making her mind shut down. Coherency was becoming a monumental effort, and her brain wondered feverishly what it would feel like to have his lips on lower places on her body if the mere touch of his mouth to her neck made her wild with knees felt rubbery at her thoughts and she moaned into his shoulder, feeling his teeth gently set against the untouched skin of her throat.

Her hands travelled to her breasts, clumsily undoing the buckles of the belts wrapping around her ribs, careful not to disrupt Shepard's work on her skin. The gold leather loosened and slipped off of her body, falling at her feet. Her boyfriend's attention was finally shifted when he felt a belt land on his boot, and he pulled away from her neck.

He chuckled, smiling down at her. "Need help?"

She smiled back, nodding. "I need to get all of the belts and cloth off before I can... take my suit off." she said, face heating. Swallowing, she guided his hands to the utility belt at her hips. "Find the clasp and start unbuckling."

He laughed again softly, doing as she asked. Dexterous fingers quickly undid the various buckles attaching her belt to her suit, slipping it off her hips and letting it slide to the floor. Tali tossed away another belt and began unwinding the purple cloth adorning her suit. She pulled at her clan's fabric, making sure not to rip or tear it in her haste.

After an impatient moment, she finally got the mauve material untangled from her body and let it fall to the floor. She quickly undid the metal encasing her feet and kicked her boots off, hearing them clang on the hard deck plating.

Tali now stood with only the black leather of her suit on, and fear suddenly gripped her. Although she'd been in a hurry to take her suit off, she now found herself wanting to stall her inevitable exposure.

Shepard's eyes traced a heated path down her body, apparently pleased with the simple dark material covering her form. He met her eyes after a silent moment, and swallowed. "What now?"

_Oh shit._ Tali stared at the floor, her hands meeting at her waist and knotting themselves together. "There's um... the main seal of the suit i-is at the back." She tore one hand away and awkwardly gestured over her shoulder. "I... I can't reach it, though. Can you..."

"We don't..." Shepard swallowed again, making sure she was looking at him. "Tali, if you don't want to do this—"

"No," she said, and surprised herself with how much conviction her voice held. "No, I want this more than anything. I'm just... nervous." she ended lamely, not knowing what word to use. Taking a deep breath, she looked straight at him. "Can you undo the seal at the back?" She was proud that her voice didn't waver, although she still felt like bolting from the room.

Shepard nodded, stepping closer and touching her cheek. "It's okay, Tali." he whispered, then slowly walked around her. She closed her eyes, feeling the heat of his body as he stood so close to her back, even through the suit. His fingers pressed against her shoulder blades and began pulling the seal downwards. The breath shuddered out of her when she felt cool air touch the skin of her back. The faint hiss of the unclamping seal met her ears, and she finally felt his hand reach the small of her back, the seal now completely undone.

_This is it. _She could feel a faint shudder rock through her body when she pulled at the sleeves of her suit, shrugging out of the top portion and hearing it fall to the floor with a soft whoosh. Her back was still to him when she exposed the top half of her body, but she could feel his breath blow softly against her neck, waiting for her to tell him to move.

She didn't yet. Instead, she quickly pulled down and stepped out of the leggings of her suit, clumsily kicking them off her feet.

Tali was completely naked now. She closed her eyes, took a step forward and a deep breath, and turned around.

Her hands had come up to instinctively cover her breasts, but she forced them down to her sides, standing there rigidly while she watched Shepard's face. His eyes had widened once more, gaze drifting slowly across her skin. It made her feel exposed and vulnerable, but she kept herself from crawling on the floor and scrambling to put her suit back on.

_He isn't saying anything, _she thought nervously after a long minute. Shepard seemed to be carved from stone, he was so still. The only indication that he wasn't forged in marble was the dazed movements of his eyes and the pulse at his throat. He didn't even appear to be breathing.

Irritation suddenly flared. Couldn't he just say something, let her know what he thought, at least? "Shepard?" she asked quietly, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice. The anticipation was making her testy.

His mouth opened and his throat worked, but he didn't make any noise. He tore his gaze from her body and up to her face, eyes wide. "I... Jesus, Tali, you..."

He didn't finish his sentence, and she fidgeted in place. _I knew it, he doesn't think I'm pretty. Oh shit, what's going to happen now—_

The breath blew out of him in a heavy shudder, and her thoughts suddenly halted. He swallowed again. "God, you're... you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, Tali. Jesus, you..."

"What? Really?" She immediately clapped a hand over her mouth, face heating. Of all the things she had envisioned saying to him if he thought her beautiful, this was at the bottom of the list.

His lips twitched and he chuckled. She noted with surprise that he sounded almost nervous. "Christ, yes. You... God, you're beautiful."

_He's cursing a lot. That's a good sign._

Her eyes suddenly watered and she bit back a sob. He was telling the truth—if he wasn't, he was the best actor she'd ever met. _You've tied up the Great Commander Shepard's silver tongue._

She burst out laughing at that, the flood of relief making her feel giddy. Shepard looked at her with concern. "Are you all right?"

She turned another giggle into a cough, nodding. "I think so. I just..." Tali looked at him, hysterics draining away. "Thank you, Sh—John. I don't... you don't know how much that means to me. I'd always wondered if you'd... if you'd like what's beneath the suit."

"Tali, your suit doesn't hide much," he said amusedly. "I had a pretty good idea of what you'd look like. Pictured you naked enough times," he muttered, mouth twitching. "And even if you... looked alien," he continued delicately. "I wouldn't stop—caring for you." he stumbled over the last part, making her heart speed up. _Had he almost just said love?_

Tali shoved that exciting thought away—she wouldn't push him for words of love. The moment was too precious to be ruined.

The ache between her legs once again became apparent to her when Shepard's gaze lost its focus and began hungrily eyeing her body. Blue orbs passed over her breasts, down the flat, toned skin of her abdomen, and stopped at the junction between her thighs. Shepard almost lurched forward, stepping closer to her, but she put a hand out to stop him.

"Not yet. You have to take all of your clothes off too." She was growing more confident with the knowledge that Shepard enjoyed the sight of her body, and giggled at his response.

He laughed at that, meeting her eyes. "I didn't know you were so demanding."

"I'm tired of just wondering what you look like naked," she said, grinning at her own bold words. She snapped her fingers, immensely enjoying the reaction she got from Shepard."Come on."

He complied, chuckling. His fingers met at his belt and the metal tinkled together faintly as he undid the clasp. Bending down, he quickly untied his boots and kicked them away, watching them slide under the coffee table. She smiled faintly when he reached down to unzip the zipper on his pants and caught it on the material in his haste.

"Shit," he muttered, tugging vainly on the unforgiving metal. He'd jammed it off the track and was only making it worse by tugging. He swore again under his breath, growling at whatever god was currently laughing at him. _Great job at being sexy. You can't even get your own damn pants off._

A pair of three-fingered hands came into view and pushed his own away, tugging gently on the zipper. He looked up to see Tali grinning from ear to ear, apparently amused at his lack of grace.

He felt his face warm in embarrassment with the remaining blood he had left in his head. After a moment of struggling to find something vaguely intelligent to say, his attention fractured when his gaze drifted down to her exposed breasts. Although Tali wasn't a particularly busty woman, her suit had compressed her breasts some, leaving him pleasantly surprised when he drank in the sight of creamy, smooth skin. His fingers ached to reach up and explore the soft mounds, but reigned in the desire when he remembered Tali wanted to see him first.

Realising that she had gotten his zipper successfully undone while he'd been staring wistfully at her body, he smiled up at her sheepishly. "Thanks."

She nodded, stepping back from him and silently ordering him to continue with his undressing. Shepard did so with fervour, quickly tugging off both pants and boxers and stepping out of them, fully nude a moment later. His face reddened when he realised how aroused he'd become, and hoped his body's reaction wasn't going to disturb or frighten her.

She didn't seem either of those things. Her eyes darted around, gaze filled with interest as she looked him over. He was a lot more impressive than the paltry images she had ever thought up; his legs were toned and long, more graceful muscle formed under pale skin. Ropes of muscle lined the column of his thighs, and his calves were well-defined.

Her entire face felt hot—among other parts of her body—when her gaze fell onto his swollen member. It throbbed faintly, aching for stimulation.

She eyed it with rapid interest. She had seen naked men before—Mordin had given her explicit diagrams of the human form, and she'd done extensive research on the extranet—but seeing an unclothed Shepard was far more exciting. A fine specimen, indeed.

The breath escaped out of her lips as thoughts of him inside her filled her mind. Humans were of larger build than quarians, and in many ways. It might be painful when they joined, but he certainly didn't disappoint in the size department.

She finally tore her gaze away from his lower body and met his eyes, lips tugging up. He grinned at her expression. "I'm assuming my appearance is well-received?"

"Very," she said, laughing. She stepped closer to him, grinning. "Come here."

If less aroused by the sudden contact, she would have burst out laughing at Shepard's immediate response to her words. She gasped when his hands smoothed over her waist and quickly leaned into him. Tali moulded her palms over the hard muscle of his shoulders, moaning when she felt his erection brush against her stomach.

He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her and pressing into her soft frame. She felt rather fragile in his arms, and he was having a difficult time stringing anything coherent together. Her breasts were squished against his chest, and he felt the hard buds of her nipples against his skin, from a combination of arousal and cold. The rest of her body was also pressed tightly to his own—the soft flesh of her hips met his own, and he could feel himself growing even harder against her.

With great reluctance, he pulled away from her. She whimpered at the sudden absence of his body heat, and he almost crushed her into the bed from the noise she'd made. God, he wanted to hear it again.

He took a deep breath, looking down at her. "The bed?" he asked, having trouble forming sentences.

She didn't seem to mind his ungraceful speech, however; Tali nodded, stepping closer to him. She rubbed her body against his, moaning at the friction.

Every drop of blood left in his veins travelled south at the sound she made, and he mimicked her movements, taking her in his arms and slowly grinding his body into hers. Tali pulled his face down for a kiss and he happily complied, groaning into her lips and slipping his tongue into her mouth. She met the sleek muscle with her own, tasting the insides of his mouth with a frantic hunger that set his whole lower body throbbing.

He guided her over to the bed, not breaking contact with her body or lips. He sat her down and did the same next to her, breathing heavily. She broke the kiss, all too soon, and looked over at him. She stared at him for a long minute, not saying anything. Her eyes began to wander downwards, however, as if instinctively drawn to the aching member between his legs.

He watched her, wondering what she was thinking. He both hoped for and dreaded the idea of her wrapping her hand around him. His cock was desperately aching for any kind of attention, but he hoped a simple stroke wouldn't send him over the edge.

She did as he half-feared, hesitantly reaching out a hand towards him. Tali looked up at him again, eyes asking for confirmation, and with a swallow he nodded.

Her fingers brushed the very tip of him and he shuddered, heart pounding. Her palm slowly went to wrap around him, hand closing around his member. She slid her hand up once, stroking him, and he let out a low groan, knuckling whitening as they gripped the bed sheets. Again, and his eyes rolled back into his head. This was surely Heaven, and he hadn't even joined with her yet.

_If you let her continue, you might have to wait for that._

He gritted his teeth. He had to stop her from her wonderful ministrations, else he'd end their night too soon and they'd have to wait for him to recover. He let her glide her hand up and down a few more times, an "oh god" escaping his lips, but he finally halted her movements with a hand on her wrist. Tali looked up, expression almost surprised, and she bit her lip in concern.

"Did I hurt you?" she asked, eyes losing some of their confidence. He shook his head, trying desperately to catch his breath.

"Not even... a little bit," he muttered breathlessly, smiling faintly at her. Swallowing hard, he touched her cheek, breathing unevenly. "Lie down," he whispered.

Fear flared in her eyes for a moment before she nodded, and she leaned back, pulling her legs up and resting her head on a pillow. Her movements allowed him a view of the soft folds nestled between her legs, and the blood thundered in his ears.

Shepard moved, rolling his body onto the mattress and coming to lie on top of her, supporting most of his weight with his arms. He didn't want to crush her. She was breathing raggedly, eyes half-lidded with desire. He leaned forward and kissed her, laughing faintly when he felt her tongue immediately dart out. One hand slowly traced up her waist, stopping just below her breast. Although rather silly given how intimate they already were, he didn't want to startle her with moving too quickly or touching her.

Tali suddenly grabbed his hand and put it on her breast, not breaking the kiss. He groaned into her mouth and kneaded the warm flesh under his palm. His thumb rolled the nipple between his fingers, and he heard her moan in response. His other hand slowly trailed down her body, stroking the flesh of her waist and hips. His hand glided down over one thigh and his palm slid inwards, feeling the heat radiating from her just inches away from his hand.

Tali's whole body shivered, whether in surprise or anticipation he couldn't tell. Realising that she was past any shyness from her early displays of boldness, he brushed his fingers against her core, feeling the slick of arousal meet his fingertips. She bucked against him, gasping and breaking the kiss. She stared at him, eyes glazed and silently asking for more.

He wasn't about to disappoint. He pushed a finger forward, parting her folds and slipping into her warm confines. Tali cried out, nails digging into his back and moaning from the sudden intrusion. She contracted helplessly around the digit, body aching for any kind of stimulation.

She wasn't going to be easy to enter—she was smaller than a human woman, and her virgin state made her maddeningly tight. He needed to relax her muscles, make it easier on her when they finally joined.

_He pushed in a second finger and she whimpered into his shoulder. She had never felt anything become part of her before, and the sensation of even the slightest pressure between her legs made her incoherent with need._ His thumb pressed against the swollen nub nestled between soft folds and she mewled into his neck, rocking her hips forwards and silently demanding more.

The two large fingers buried inside her began to stroke and move, creating a burning friction between her legs. His thumb rubbed at her clitoris without mercy, making her cries become more and more desperate and frantic.

He stilled his movements for a moment, eyeing her. "You're... I'm not hurting you, am—"

"Yes," she breathed, then scrunched her brow. "No, I mean no. Please, d-don't stop," she whined insistently, meeting his gaze. His eyes burned at her words and he promptly began his hand's movements again. He thrust his fingers inside her while his thumb continued to rub and stroke her. She bit his shoulder and dug her fingers into the skin of his back, moaning. "Shepard," she whimpered, her hips rising to meet each thrust of his hand. _"Yes."_

His movements quickened at her words. He was relentless, pushing his large digits into her with a rapid insistence, and his thumb never eased up on its frantic rubbing against her clitoris.

She was crying out with each stroke now. Her whole body was wrapped around him, arching readily into his hand and shuddering at the results. The pressure building in her was becoming unbearable—her body ached for release, to ease this burning inside her womb.

A few more hard strokes of his hand and she felt the quake inside her begin. She arched tightly against him and cried out raggedly, shaking and shivering into his hard body. He milked each spasm from her, not letting up the thrusts of his fingers or the rubbing of his thumb until she collapsed onto the mattress, chest heaving.

He withdrew his hand a moment later with a parting stroke and rested his forehead against hers, breathing just as heavy and uneven. They lay there for a few breathless minutes, Tali trying to recover from her release and Shepard trying desperately not to reach his own just yet.

The quarian shuddered again, shakily brushing her hair out of her face. She met Shepard's eyes, an azure blur with his face so close to hers. He planted a soft kiss on her lips and slowly rolled off, giving her room to catch her breath.

She turned her head, seeing him lie beside her with his eyes closed. He was taking measured breaths, but the ragged pulse at his neck, the tight grip of the sheets, and his erect member destroyed any appearance of calm.

She suddenly blushed, sadly eyeing his highly aroused frame. _Fantastic job. Your first time with Shepard and he didn't even come_. The high she was coming down off of was nothing like she'd ever felt, and the climax had left her feeling bonelessly wonderful. Until now. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for... for it to end so quickly."

His eyes opened and he looked over at her, confusion covering his features. "What?" He pushed himself into a sitting position. "Jesus, Tali, you think..." He trailed off, laughing. "Lord, woman, you really are one of a kind."

She glared at him, sitting up in a similar position. "Don't laugh at me!" He didn't listen to her, snorting into the bed frame beside his head, and she smacked him, embarrassment flaring. "What's so funny?"

He coughed into his hand, trying to stem his laughter. He regained his composure after a moment, though his lips twitched furiously. "You're apologising for an orgasm, is what I'm laughing at." He smiled at her, touching her cheek. "That was sort of what I was going for, Tali. I'd be disappointed if I _couldn't _give you one."

Her face heated. "But, what about you?" Her eyes darted down to his hips before she met his icy eyes again. His own gaze flicked downwards for a moment, a wry grin on his lips.

"I'm not ready to call it a night." He looked up at her, raising a brow, humour mingling with real concern on his features. "Unless you are?"

She shook her head, trying desperately to calm the colouring of her cheeks. "No, I... I just thought that once, er... you know... someone—finishes," she stammered. "It's... well, over."

"That might be truer if the _guy _goes first," Shepard said dryly. "A woman having multiple orgasms isn't what I'd call a bad night."

Her face heated at the calm way he'd said _orgasms_, but frowned at herself. _What are you, sixteen years old? Stop blushing every time he mentions sex. You're about to __**have **__sex._

_That _thought did little to calm her down. Their talk had made her more comfortable, but she was now painfully aware that she was lying in bed naked with Shepard. She felt the spark of desire flare once more whenever she caught sight of his exposed body. Particularly his southern regions.

"So are we going to have sex?" she blurted out randomly, then covered her mouth with both hands, eyes wide. "Wait," she continued hastily through her fingers. "Wait, I didn't mean to say that—"

Shepard burst out laughing, rolling onto his side and snorting at her blunt words. Tali huffed in embarrassment, curling her legs up and wrapping her arms around her knees. _You should just stop talking for the rest of the night._

She felt the prick of tears against her lashes and her face contorted in anger. What was the matter with her? She was in bed with the man she loved most and she was sitting there crying.

A fading chuckle left Shepard's lips as he sat up, but sobered suddenly when he saw Tali's face. "Hey," he said softly, shifting closer to her and pulling her towards him. "Tali, it's alright. I'm sorry I laughed at you."

She sniffled, leaning into him. "It's not that. I don't—I don't know why I'm crying, it's stupid—" She hiccupped, interrupting her own words. "I'm sorry—"

"Tali," he jerked her chin towards him, hand firm on her jaw. _"Stop apologising." _He shook his head, smiling at her. "If this is too much... we don't have to continue."

"But what about you—"

"It won't be the end of the world if I don't get laid," he replied dryly. "But you seem pretty upset. I went too fast—"

"No, no," she argued, looking at him. "No, Shepard, what happened... it was wonderful. I've never felt like that. But... I'm just afraid." She shrugged, smiling bitterly. "Though I'm not sure what about."

"The unknown can be scary," he said gently, and she smiled when she heard his Commander Voice kick in. He really was concerned about her.

Tali leaned into him again, wrapping her arms around his trim waist. "I want to do this, John. Please."

He grinned. "You won't hear any complaints from me."

They say there for a quiet moment—Shepard was likely waiting for her to say something. She met his gaze, taking a calming breath. "What now? What do we..."

He rolled, lying on his side and motioning for her to lie next to him. She did so, relishing the heat his skin gave off and the scent of him touching her nose. He pulled her close, fitting their bodies together snugly. She took in a sharp breath at the contact, still unused to such acute sensations on her bared skin. He smiled at her, running a hand through her hair. "We can lie here and see what happens if you'd like."

She giggled into his chest suddenly, making him grunt in surprise. "What's so funny?"

"You. You sound like... like you do when you help the crew, or—" She laughed again, melting into him.

She felt his chest vibrate with laughter. "Well, I _am _helping one of my crew members."

"Have sex," she replied, giggling. Looking up, she gave him a quick kiss. "You're so sweet."

He smiled and ducked his head towards her, returning the favour. She leaned into him, savouring the taste and feel of him. Kissing was quickly becoming one of her favourite activities.

Especially when she felt Shepard's tongue glide into her mouth, smoothing over her own. Small sounds of need escaped the other's throats as they pressed into each other. Tali could feel his cock throb insistently against her skin, begging for release. She whimpered into his mouth, sliding her hands over his shoulders and down his back, a finger idly tracing the large scar that marred his skin. Shepard answered back with a groan of his own and grasped at her breast with a free hand, squeezing the aching flesh in a calloused palm.

He dragged his lips away from her mouth and down her body, quickly trailing a path over her throat and collarbone and towards her untouched breast. She opened her mouth to ask what he was doing when his face hovered just over the unattended mound, but quickly forgot how to speak when his tongue flicked out and touched the nipple, wet muscle tracing around the hard tip before he pressed his lips to her breast. She moaned and grasped his head, feeling him gently suckle her while his teeth and tongue danced around the centre of the nipple. He bit down ever so delicately and sucked the flesh deeper into his mouth, making her arch into him and cry out softly.

He wasn't going to be able to wait much longer. The way Tali kept reacting to his ministrations was destroying what willpower he had left. His cock was so hard it hurt, and his balls felt heavy and swollen. He had to keep himself from reaching down and stroking a palm against his member—the need was driving him insane, and he couldn't hold out for much longer.

He unlatched his mouth from her breast reluctantly, and heard her whine out a breath in protest. She pulled at his head, making him shift upwards and come face-to-face with her once more.

He looked down at her. She seemed ready; her lips were parted and she was panting out breath, staring at him through half-closed eyes. Desire burned in her silvery gaze and she never let any space between them—whenever he moved, she would always shift with him, moulding herself to his body.

He smoothed a hand over her hair, watching her. "Are you ready?"

She looked up at him, swallowing. Her eyes were filled with arousal and happiness and fear, and Tali said nothing for a long moment. She touched his cheek, studying his own features; they were taut with lust—his lips were parted, face flushed, and eyes burning.

Finally, she nodded to him. "I'm ready."

He shuddered faintly at her words, but nodded back. He positioned himself over her, body pressed tight to her own and member situated right between her thighs. She gasped, arms tightening around him, but she didn't protest or tell him to stop. He blew out a breath and pressed his hips down, pushing the head of his cock against her folds.

She gasped at the intrusion. It was larger and thicker than his finger by far, and her walls clenched instinctively to bar his entrance, even as she ached for his presence inside her.

He pushed forward ever so slowly, getting the tip of his member inside her. She felt her legs shift farther apart to allow him better access. The pressure inside her grew rapidly when he forged on, sliding into her at a snail's pace. He had stop for long minutes, waiting to her body to stretch and accommodate him. He took every inch her muscles afforded him, and she was whimpering at the overwhelming sensation of him filling her. He had to retreat at some points, lose ground and let her readjust to him, until he finally could go no further without pushing forward with more force.

She laid there for a moment, feeling her walls grasping at his flesh with interest, his member not even half way in. She look up to see his face contorted with the effort to not hurt her, desire written in every line on his face. He met her eyes, gaze engulfed in heat. He asked a silent question, and she answered with a nod.

He swallowed hard, nodding in return. Bracing himself on his arms, he thrust into her, driving himself all the way in in one smooth motion. Tali gasped and shook at the sudden fullness and pressure that greeted her, mind trying to figure out how to deal with the pressure.

Shepard moaned above her, pressing his forehead hard into the mattress. She saw him grip the sheets until she thought his knuckles would pop with effort to stay still and wait.

It was killing him; he could feel walls contracting around him, testing the hard flesh that had pushed inside. Every muscle in his body was telling him to move, to end the painful ache in his groin and release himself. But he had to wait for Tali.

She clung to him, eyes wide as she tried to adjust to the sensation of him filling her. She had felt herself stretch painfully around his member, but the pressure inside her was rapidly growing into a different kind of ache.

She felt Shepard's entire body twitch, a small movement escaping his will. The resulting friction inside her made her moan, and she looked up at him. His eyes were closed and his teeth were clenched. Beads of sweat had formed on his forehead, and one ran down the bridge of his nose, dropping onto her breast.

She touched his face and his eyes opened, pained blue orbs meeting her gaze. "Please," she whispered, not knowing how to ask.

He seemed to understand her, though. His hips pushed forward in one slow, smooth motion, pressing himself deep into her. Then he pulled back, sliding his cock along her walls and making her whimper at the foreign, wonderful burn. He began a slow rhythm, pressing his body hard into hers and rocking back and forth. She saw his eyes roll back into his head as he pushed into her before she lost all awareness of her surroundings. She only knew the rhythmic pulse between her legs, the overwhelming need to move with John as one person.

Tali felt her legs rise and wrap around his hips of their own accord, calves pushing him forward insistently. She murmured something incoherent, and Shepard looked at her in dim confusion. "Faster," she said more clearly, and his eyes flared. If her mind hadn't solely been focused on the man moving inside her, she'd have found his rather stunned expression entertaining.

He complied happily, picking up the pace of his thrusts. He slipped one hand under her, grasping a cheek of her rear and lifting her hips up, allowing him better access to her moist confines.

"Shepard," she moaned, arching into him. The new position afforded him the opportunity to press even deeper into her, one that he immediately took advantage of. The movements of his hips became more forceful and rapid, striking her straight to her core with every thrust. Long minutes of hard, deep strokes captured her entire attention, until she couldn't focus on anything but the ache of her womb and the sounds Shepard groaned out above her.

"Oh god..." Tali heard him breath into her ear, his movements rocking their entire bodies. She met each thrust with fervour, arching into him as soon as he retreated, only to rock back into her once more.

"Tali," he whispered raggedly, slowing his strokes. "I can't... I can't hold on... much longer."

She mewled at the slow pace they were now moving at, aching desperately for more. She was right on the edge—a few more hard thrusts would send her falling. She touched his cheek, breathing heavily with the effort to even form sentences. She vainly formed unspoken words for a few seconds, trying to concentrate on talking.

"Shepard," she finally gasped, shuddering. "It's okay. It's…. please," she repeated. "Please don't stop."

He looked at her for a long moment, arms shaking with the effort to hold himself above her. Finally he nodded, pressing his forehead against hers and resuming his previous pace, hips driving home again and again with a rapid need.

He could hear her crying out into his ear with each thrust, hands clawing at his back and hips moving with his own. He forgot all thoughts of holding back and drove forward with a mindless ache, body taking over and pushing him past conscious thought.

Less than a dozen more strokes and he felt her contract around him. Her entire body was tensed, shuddering into him and moaning out the sweetest sound ever to meet his ears. The sensation of her body massaging his cock quickly sent him over the edge and he felt his whole body rock forward, pressing into her as deeply as he could. His balls tightened against his body and he felt the sweet flood of release strike his core, leaving him gasping and shaking on top of her, primal sounds growling deep in his throat.

He felt her body finally relax under him, having spent its energy in the throes of climax and leaving her muscles rubbery and useless. Shepard collapsed on top of her a moment later, too dazed to care about his rather ungraceful finish. He felt the edges of oblivion already begin to drag him under, and he was unconscious before he even caught his breath.

* * *

If Tali hadn't felt the hard beat of his heart against her chest, she'd have thought Shepard dead.

A small smile curved her lips, and her hand idly stroked the short hairs on his head. He had hardly moved for a good five minutes, only resting his significant weight on top of her. She didn't mind the feeling of being crushed into the mattress, though; the man was incredibly warm, and the sensation of their skin touching, even slightly sticky from sweat and exertion, was heaven. They were still joined—she felt his softening member still fill her walls, a comforting pressure inside her body.

She tapped his shoulder, lips twitching. "John?"

She heard a faint groan, and resisted the urge to laugh. The aftermath of their coupling had left her feeling blissfully sleepy, mind still trying to process the sensations of the past hour. It was making everything seem funny to her unfocused brain.

His head raised from its position beside hers and he gazed over at her. His eyes were half-lidded with sleep and he looked like a man waking up from a visit to Heaven. She giggled.

"What's so funny?" he asked quietly, calloused hand smoothing strand of hair out of her face.

"You," she whispered back. "You look like... like—"

"Like I just had sex?"

She laughed. "Yes, that. For a moment I thought you'd slipped into a coma."

His cheeks reddened, and he smiled sheepishly at her. "Ah, yeah. Human males aren't exactly the most graceful of creatures when it comes to mating."

"So I've seen," she replied amusedly, grinning at him. Eyeing him more seriously, she asked something that had been nagging at her in the back of her mind. "You... you enjoyed it, though?"

He dropped his head and snorted into the pillow, body shaking faintly with mirth. "Did I enjoy myself, she asks. Christ Tali—"

"I wasn't sure," she interrupted testily. "I didn't know if collapsing on top of me and falling asleep meant something good."

He laughed again. "I'll repeat my last comment. Although maybe not the most appropriate behaviour, it's a fair indicator that it's been a good ride." His lips twitched, and he looked down at her. "What would you do if I said I _didn't _enjoy myself?"

Her face heated. "Well... I'd make sure you were... satisfied."

"And how would you go about doing that, Miss Zorah?" he asked with rapt interest, propping his head up on one hand and eyeing her inquisitively.

She blushed harder. "I don't... er, well... I saw a few things on the Extranet about, um..."

"About?" he prodded, grinning ear-to-ear. The bastard was enjoying watching her squirm.

Tali glared at him, but forged on. She wasn't going to let him tie her tongue. "Some technique involving hands and mouths that I'm sure wouldn't interest you."

He leaned in conspiratorially, eyes darting from side to side as if he were afraid they were going to be overheard. "I actually had a terrible time—"

She smacked him and he burst out laughing, head dropping back down onto the bed. "You're unbelievable," she muttered, making him laugh harder.

She grumbled for a moment before dissolving in a fit of giggles and laughing with him. They shook in each other's arms, neither one wanting to let go.

When Shepard finally got his lungs under control, he relaxed into her, pressing her into the mattress. Although it had been nice before, she was beginning to have trouble breathing.

Tali pressed a hand to his chest. "Get off me," she complained. "You're too big."

He chuckled but acquiesced, rolling off her and onto his back. He didn't stop touching her, however; he dragged her with him, so now they switched positions, with her smaller form resting on his larger one. She melted into him, resting her head on his chest and shifting slightly on his body.

Tali sighed contentedly. "This is wonderful," she murmured, shifting on top of him again. The friction of their skin moving against one another was one she couldn't get enough of.

She heard the deep vibration of his voice as he laughed rumble under her ear. Tali trailed her fingers down his side, feeling his skin spasm faintly when she touched a ticklish nerve. "You're wonderful. Everything is wonderful." It was strange, having nearly limitless access to another person's body, to be able to know them as intimately as one would their own self. She lifted her head up and placed her legs on either side of him, coming to sit on his lap. She giggled at the undoubtedly male pride plastered on his features from hearing her stroke his ego.

He slid a hand up her side, tracing a slope of one hip. "You're pretty wonderful too," he murmured. Shepard's eyes roamed lazily around her body, his gaze holding a calmer, muted heat, far more subtle than the frenzied passion they'd shared. It was surprising to her, how relaxed she felt afterwards; only fifteen minutes ago she'd been strung tight as a bow, her body shivering manically and her brain dumb to everything except for Shepard. Her vision had almost blurred for a few moments, leaving her to only hear and feel and smell. It had been overwhelming in its complete hold on her, but now, everything was soft and smooth and slow. A comforting warmth after the primal battle she'd waged.

"I'd never understood it," she whispered, idly tracing a scar on his chest. "Not until now, at least."

"Understood what?"

"The newly bonded couples on the flotilla," she murmured. "They never seemed to be able to stop touching each other. I've seen them go nearly mad because they had to wait for clean rooms. It had seemed dramatic to me—I knew it felt good, and they loved each other, but..." she trailed off. "Now, I can see why. I never want to leave your cabin."

He chuckled. "Ah. I'm glad I've left such an impression."

"I mean it," Tali whispered. "I've never been so happy. I—" she paused. If there was any doubt that she'd loved him, it had been thoroughly erased by their time together. How could anything so wonderful not include love in some form? Especially when he's been so careful with her.

He smiled, sitting up. Shepard kissed her, once, twice, then pulled back. "It was amazing," he said seriously. He cupped her jaw, sliding a thumb over her lips. "I haven't been this happy in a very long time. Maybe not ever."

She kissed him back, wrapping an arm around his neck. They were light touches of their lips, and less clumsy now. Tali had gotten the basic dynamic down, marvelling at how well they fit together.

Shepard slid an arm around her waist, his hand running up her back and pulling her closer. She melted into him, craving the closeness of his body. Tali could already feel the beginnings of heat pool in her belly, their simple kissing sending small, pleasurable jolts through her. She shifted closer, trying not to leave any space between them.

"Can..." she began, feeling his mouth move along her jaw. "Can we do it again?"

His breath blew onto her skin as he laughed, making her shiver. "We can do it until we pass out, if you'd like," he assured her.

That was an enticing thought. She pushed them down onto the mattress, and threaded her fingers through his short hair. Maybe they would. She certainly wouldn't mind trying.


End file.
